New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi sat down with India’s Commonwealth Games champions this week, and used the occasion to talk about just how far Indian sport has come over the last decade or so. He mentioned that welcoming athletes to his residence has become something of a tradition for him across his 12-13 years in office, and one he genuinely looks forward to.
His main point was a simple one: nothing gets through to schoolkids quite like watching an athlete win. “Your medal inspires them more than anything we could say by going to schools,” he said.
A promise about her daughters
One athlete reminded the Prime Minister of something she’d told him before, that her daughters would also take up sport. When he asked how things were going, she told him confidently that her daughters would bring home three medals at the next Commonwealth Games. Modi backed her all the way, encouraging her to keep pushing for that.
Stories that stayed with him
A few moments clearly stuck with the Prime Minister. One player had dedicated a win on Guru Purnima to his coach. Another broke down in tears on the podium, having fought through four years of injuries and setbacks just to see the flag go up. Modi said these weren’t just personal wins, they’d end up inspiring entire generations that come after. “This victory of yours becomes a very big inspiration for the coming generations,” he said.
Indian boxers making the world nervous
The conversation moved on to how Indian athletes are now genuinely feared on the international circuit, boxers in particular. Modi said rivals abroad think twice before facing Indian opponents these days, and put a lot of that down to schemes like Khelo India and the ongoing competition support the government has rolled out. “World players have now started fearing these boxers too,” he said.
Culture matters as much as facilities
Modi was clear that infrastructure alone doesn’t win medals, it’s the culture built around sport that does. He told the athletes to hold onto that humble, still-learning mindset even as Khelo India grows. “Sports infrastructure is one thing, but the country achieves medals when a sports culture is built in the country,” he said.
An Army athlete’s Kargil dedication
One story that stood out involved an Indian Army athlete who beat his Pakistani opponent 5-0 on Kargil Vijay Diwas and dedicated the win to Army personnel. Modi said that kind of pride adds something extra to a sporting win. There were lighter moments too, including a laugh shared over an athlete’s coach, Narendra Rana, and the two sharing a first name. “You have not merely increased the number of medals; you have prepared a generation,” Modi said.
Thanks to SAI’s training set-up
Another athlete thanked the Sports Authority of India for the training that took them from local grounds all the way to an international podium. Modi seemed genuinely moved by that. “It is a matter of great honour for me; you did the hard work and remembered me, and I am very grateful to you,” he said.
Training hubs, temple visits, and what’s next
He also asked about the upgraded training facilities in places like Varanasi and Bhopal, where some athletes had trained and also found time to visit Kashi Vishwanath and Mahakaleshwar in Ujjain. Modi credited SAI and the Khelo India framework, running since 2018, for helping young athletes move up to elite level more smoothly. “Rest assured, in the future too you will be victorious and once again we will meet right here,” he said.
A birthday, and some sweets
The interaction ended on a warm note, with Modi personally handing out sweets to a multi-time medallist celebrating her birthday that day. He told the athletes to keep that same positive energy going, smiling as he congratulated the contingent on their third straight medal-winning run. “He who plays, blooms,” he said.